Of course, Lucas wasn’t a fool.
He knew that Jinseong Park was famous for magic in the Republic of Korea and that he was being noticed as a promising shaman.
Moreover, he was aware that Jinseong had shown “great achievements” at Dokdo, a notorious area during the conflicts between Japan and Korea. While he wasn’t clear on what those achievements were, he could tell they were noteworthy for someone of his age.
Therefore, Lucas thought Jinseong would have some level of skill.
His rookie-like appearance and his track record—much more empty than full when listed on paper—made him seem like an easy target to overlook.
There were plenty of conditions perfect for underestimating him, yet he was someone you couldn’t easily dismiss—
In fact, he thought of him as a “cost-efficient” entity.
And not just someone who was cost-efficient, but someone who might be at least at the same level as a somewhat known shaman.
Yeah.
He had kept that hope up until then.
However….
This was beyond his expectations.
He had thought generously and broadly about Jinseong’s achievements and had figured he wouldn’t be surprised if he showed a fairly high level of skill.
But Park Jinseong possessed skills that went beyond even that expectation.
Logically, it just didn’t make sense.
Lucas, who had gathered countless pieces of information and processed and utilized them, was convinced that Park Jinseong’s magical abilities were ‘abnormal.’
And such an abnormal—an exceeding of common sense soon turned into suspicion.
Suspicion soon became a conspiracy, and his heart swelled with a creeping anxiety.
Thus, the conclusion formed was this.
He needed to get Park Jinseong out of this building.
‘No matter how I think about it, it’s suspicious. Time and again, no matter how I review it, there’s no way such a shaman could be born in Korea. It might be possible if he was from a family connected to Japan, but even that seems implausible.’
He needed to keep some distance from this ‘suspicious’ shaman.
‘Thinking about it, there’s not just one suspicious thing. The parents of someone who was actively engaged in patriotic activities suddenly die, and he gets raised in a conglomerate? Not even through adoption, but just growing up there? Does that make any sense? Moreover, according to the information, Jinseong Park’s parents and that conglomerate were in a hostile relationship—no matter how you think about it, it’s fishy.’
Suspicious.
Once he started to doubt, everything became incredibly suspicious.
From his childhood to his current achievements.
Not a single point was free of suspicion.
‘A gigantic company in a hostile relationship. They tried to obliterate the family, but upon discovering the son had some talent in magic, took him in under the guise of nurturing him, using him as a weapon, or perhaps training him as a bodyguard for their daughters, or maybe turning him into a tool suitable for the conglomerate through something close to brainwashing.’
And those suspicions gave rise to numerous scenarios.
From a cyberpunk-like plot where an inhumane conglomerate kidnapped the talented child for power and then brainwashed him—
‘Jinseong Park might have obtained wicked magic as a child. And since Korea is ignorant about magic and so is its response, maybe he lived there to take revenge with that wicked magic or to leverage the conglomerate for his own gain, collecting numerous magical resources with their help to boost his accomplishments—this story also has a possibility.’
The scenario where Park Jinseong possessed an evil, devil-like mentality and abilities uncharacteristic of a child, using wicked magic to exploit a conglomerate.
‘Or perhaps the state could have been involved. Unlike the West, which values freedom, the East tends to value groups and nations more. Considering Jinseong Park’s parents were active in patriotism, it’s quite possible that Jinseong has been linked with the state since childhood. After becoming tied to the state, the state might have helped him learn magic, allowing him to achieve his current accomplishments with their backing—yeah, that makes sense. If it’s state assistance, having such skills wouldn’t be strange at all.’
The scenario where Park Jinseong grew with help from the government.
‘No, if it’s the government— it might be that another country, not Korea, is behind it. While it’s hard to say that China or Japan is supporting him, given his outstanding skills. China has less magical power than Korea, and Japan, while more proficient than most in Asia… Right. He might have made contact with them for revenge against his parents or for his achievements. The chance of young Jinseong directly connecting is slim, so it’s more likely Japan approached him. If he received help from Japan, he would have had access to all kinds of magical support…’
The scenario where Park Jinseong became a great shaman thanks to help from Japan.
‘No, that logic leads to a far more powerful country. One closely tied to Korea and capable of influencing it more than Japan. A nation that is also the strongest in the world with significant magical resources. The United States. It’s possible he received support from the U.S. If he developed as a shaman with their help—he could gain fame and power in the magical desert of Korea and serve as an excellent chess piece and a point of contact for the U.S. Yeah, just because he’s from Asia doesn’t mean he should be underestimated. In fact, being from Asia might lower the guard of people like me who know the truth…!’
A scenario where Park Jinseong was nurtured as a shaman with help from the U.S.
Countless scenarios taking shape.
A multitude of scenarios and conspiracy theories settled into his mind.
With that, the anxiety in his heart grew stronger.
Gradually.
Gradually more.
He started to doubt Park Jinseong.
That young shaman from Asia.
It became hard to trust that shaman who possessed an abnormal degree of skill at such a young age.
Of course, he knew this was conspiracy theory stuff.
He recognized that this was conspiracy and mere imagination, delusion.
Doubt was just doubt, after all.
It was hard to claim that such things were reality.
But.
But still.
What could he do about the thoughts that surfaced?
Delusions?
Yeah.
It might just be a delusion.
But what if that delusion held a grain of truth?
What if what he had dismissed as mere feelings turned out to be true?
‘Between absurd tales, the truth lies hidden.’
Lucas had often found that the rumors he thought were nonsense turned out to be true.
How often had he been shocked when information he gathered for profit was validated, piecing together the puzzle to present unbelievable truths before him?
How many sleepless nights had he spent in shock?
When he learned that this country, America, used a continent as its landmass, was conducting all sorts of experiments, how deeply had he trembled in fear?
What kind of shock did he experience when realizing that this seemingly upright nation had numerous scandals, some harsh enough to occur even in wartime?
Certainly, the shock of those times had subsided somewhat, and he had found ways to protect himself.
Yet that shock had been indelibly etched in his heart.
Doubts must be doubted.
If there was suspicion, it should not be dismissed.
Yeah, he began to suspect Jinseong.
Believing in various conspiracy theories, knowing that conspiracies exist in reality, and being horrifically anxious about his safety, he could no longer keep Park Jinseong close.
“Right. Jinseong Park. Just a few more days of confirmation, if nothing unusual arises, we can conclude the commission. Ah, the inspections must be conducted as well. Didn’t that get mentioned in the contract? Originally, installation and application of facilities are important, but maintenance is crucial too. Don’t forget to come periodically for checks.”
“Of course. I will definitely adhere to the contract, so don’t worry.”
Lucas finished the commission and said he didn’t need to stick around the building anymore, extending his hand for a handshake, while Jinseong lightly grasped Lucas’s hand and smiled brightly.
It seemed he was incredibly happy that Lucas had said that.
But there was surely a hint of regret on that face.
At least, it was apparent in Lucas’s eyes.
Yeah, it was visible to Lucas.
It was there.
In his eyes, there was definitely, definitely a sense of regret.
“…Well, then let’s have a meal in a few days to celebrate the conclusion of the commission.”
*
『 Facial Scan Results.
Joy: 60.00%
Regret: 3.00%
Sadness: 0%
…
…
…
Unknown: 30.00% 』
